Isabelle White

Isabelle White is a second year undergraduate student, currently studying Geophysics BSc at the School of Earth and Environment.

Choosing Geophysics

Isabelle chose to study geophysics in order to gain a more quantitative understanding of global processes, such as tectonic movements and volcanic eruptions.

 For me, Geophysics is the perfect course because it combines my interest in the natural world with my quantitative approach to problem solving.

Inspiring aspects of Geophysics

The rate of progression is exciting to Isabelle, as it shows how much there is still to learn about the Earth and its processes.

Being taught by people at the forefront of their field furthers this – something that comes with studying in department with a world class research group!

Making an impact

“Geophysics makes a significant contribution to our daily lives because it studies the world which surrounds us in a mathematical way.”

Isabelle suggests that this has never been more important than now, given the unprecedented rate of climate change, which is causing dramatic effects that must be understood in order to help mitigate future impacts.

Exciting projects

As part of the ‘Applied Geophysics’ module in second year, I processed gravity and magnetic data collected by a previous group of students from North Yorkshire.”

Isabelle also utilised various pieces of software to produce models of the subsurface. “This was amazing because it linked the theory I have learnt over the course of my degree with the real world and showed how important the data we work with can be.”

Studying abroad

Isabelle wanted to spend a year abroad because studying in a different culture and environment is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Studying abroad increases flexibility regarding module choice, so I can explore my interests in areas adjacent to Geophysics alongside more specific Geophysical interests.

Another influence on Isabelle’s choice to study abroad was her love for the outdoors. “Having the opportunity to travel around a new country and experience these hobbies on a different scale was irresistible.”

“The study abroad team always responded quickly to my (many) questions. They also gave direction regarding how to break down daunting tasks like applying for a visa or finding housing.”

Future ambitions

“Looking forward I would love to explore research opportunities because this is a relatively new area and there are still so many avenues to explore. As well as this, I would love to be able to help quantify the effects of climate change and try to predict how this may affect vulnerable communities in the future.”

“From my degree I have gained academic skills, like being able to code and manage my time more efficiently.” Additionally, managing projects with real data and writing industry standard reports has provided Isabelle with the skills needed to work with larger data sets in the future.

“I am also part of Women’s Hockey, Cross Country and Fell Running which all helped me to improve my communication skills and ability to not back down in the face of a challenge.”

If you are fascinated by the natural world but need a quantitative approach to satisfy your curiosity, this is the perfect course for you and there’s no better place to study Geophysics than at Leeds!

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Discover more about studying an undergraduate degree at the School of Earth and Environment.